Sunday, August 19, 2012

My wife and I watched a LOT of the Olympics broadcasts this year: live events in the early morning while getting ready for work, some during lunch in the breakroom at work, and lots more in the tape-delayed evening broadcasts.

I noticed that many of the American gold medal winners would mouth the word to the Star Spangled Banner while it played. A few even shed a tear or two. The British winners proudly sang God Save the Queen, along with the Brits in the stands. Winners from other nations sang their country's anthem as well. (I assume they were singing their anthems; I didn't understand most of the words.) The athletes expressed a pride in their country by competing AND by singing.

Watching them sing along - however silently - made me think of singing in church. All too often, many people don't. Maybe they think they have a lousy voice. Maybe they don't know the words to the songs. Guys are especially guilty of simply standing there, expressionless and mute.

I have a question - for the guys, especially, but for anyone who chooses to remain silent during corporate singing as part of corporate worship: If Heaven had a national anthem, would you sing along?

2 comments:

I just across your blog today (December 31, 2012). I am a woman who sings along during church services as well sing individually; however, I admit that I when sing corporate music, it seems more like duty rather than from a profound sense of worship. I also listen to all types of "old school" music on YouTube and can't help but notice the comments, much of which say how today's music is no match for yesterday's. Frankly, so much of today's contemporary music simply isn't inspiring. Yes, it may be peppy and all that, but it just isn't inspiring. I did a medley of "old school" gospel songs a few weeks ago, and even the minister (who tends to prefer contemporary) continued to sing after I'd finished! So perhaps it's the type of music that's the problem.

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Arizona Christian Worldview Institute (ACWI) is a discipleship and training ministry whose primary means of ministry is through the media, mainly radio & publishing. We also serve the body of Christ through workshops and conferences.

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